This blog is focused on trends in battery technology and other types of energy storage that are used for smart grid load leveling and stabilization, and as back-up power for renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics/solar power, hydro and wind energy. Trends in lithium ion batteries, lead-acid, metal-air, NaS (sodium sulfur), ZnBr (zinc-bromine) batteries will be covered, as well as compressed air energy storage (CAES), flywheels, fuel cells and supercapacitors.

China's BYD Auto and the Housing Authority of Los Angeles have launched a trial program for a fleet of BYD electric cars, as the battery-maker turned car company moves a step closer toward its goal of vehicle sales in North America.

GE researchers successfully demonstrated on a hybrid transit bus a dual battery system that pairs a sodium battery from GE with a Li-ion battery from A123Systems.

On the "short list" for the Zayed Future Energy Prize is Y-Carbon, a company founded by scientists at Drexel University and Georgia Tech that makes nanoporous carbon to improve the storage capacity of supercapacitors.